Electrical contact clip



1929- s. RUTTENBERG ET AL 1,724,729

ELECTRICAL CONTACT CLIP Filed July 19, 1927 avwewto'co Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,724,729 PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL RUTTENBERG, OF BROOKLYN, AND WILLIAM C. MIERENDORFF, OF NEW YORK, N Y., ASSIGNORS TO SAMUEL RUTTENBERG WITZ, BOTH OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AND MEYER NATHAN LEIBO- ELECTRICAL CONTACT CLIP.

Application filed July 19,

This invention relates to electrical contact clips and the object of the invention 1s to provide a clip of improved form to which a wire may be readily connected and disconnected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clip which is adapted to make a contact with a wire along a plurality of sub stantially narrow edges.

A further object of the invention 18 to make a clip which can be readily operated for inserting the wire to be connected thereto or for withdrawing such wire.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example three forms of the invention and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of the invention with the parts thereotin the position taken prior to the connection of a wire thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clip lllustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the clip corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 but showing the parts in the positions they Wlll assume when the wire is being connected thereto;

Fig. 4 is a similar section to that shown in Fig. 3 but with the parts of the clip in the position they assume when the wire is connected thereto;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a clip of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 adapted and mounted for connecting a pair of resistances or the like in parallel;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the mountlng illustrated in Fig. 5.

According to the example illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the clip is formed from a strip of substantially thin conducting metal of a resilient nature as for example phosphor bronze or other light material. The two end portions of the strip are bent upwardly about the ends of the base portion 1. One end portion 2 is bent to an angle of from 115 to 125, for instance, such end portion being provided at its upper end with a hole 3.

Such end portion 2 may be substantially straight or may be curved to a greater 01' less extent as indicated in the drawing.

The other end portion 4 of the strip is bent about the other end of the base portion 1 at 1927. Serial No. 206,832.

an angle substantially the same as that of the end portion 2. The outer end of such end portion 4 is provided with a further bend forming an arm 5, the distance of such further bend from the base, and the angle to which the portion 4 is bent about the base, being such that the upper end of the end portion 2 will be enclosed within the angle formed between the arm 5 and portion 4, though spaced from said arm 5 and portion 4. Holes 6 and 7 are rovided respectively in the portion 4 and t e arm 5, such holes being spaced substantially equal distances from the bend and so located that when pressure is exerted downwardly at the junction of the arm 5 with the portion 4, thereby bending the portion 4 about the point where it connects with the base 1, such holes 6 and 7 will be substantially in line with the hole 3 in the portion 2 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The arm 4 adjacent its junction with the base 1 may be provided with a cut-out portion 8 which is bent substantially parallel with the base 1. This cut-out portion may be perforated so that a permanent electrical connection may be made with the clip by passing a wire through the perforation and soldering the same therein.

The end portion 2 may be provided with a cut-out portion 9 adjacent its junction with the base 1, such cut-out portion being bent into line with the base 1 and provided with a perforation 10 by which such clip may be screwed or bolted to a support.

The normal position of the portion 4 as shown in Fig. l of the drawings is such that the holes 6 and 7 are located at a greater vertical height above the base 1 than the hole 3 and owing to the resiliency of the material of which the clip is made, the portion 4 will always tend to position itself in such normal position.

In order to connect a wire or the like to the clip, pressure is exerted in a downward direction at the junction of the arms 5 with the portion 4, thus bending the portion 4 about its junction with the base 1 into a position in which the holes 6 and 7 are substantially in line with the hole 3 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The wire is then inserted through the three holes and pressure removed from the portion 4. The portion 4, owing to the resiliency of the material, will then tend to assume the position indicated in Fig. 1 thereby tightly gripping the wire as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and mak ing edge contact with the wire along the lower edges of the holes 6 and 7 and along the upper edge of the hole In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the application has been illustrated of a clip of the rind illustrated in Figs. 1 to 1 of the drawings to a base adapted to receive a pair of ballast resistances, the clips being associated 'with additional clips so that such ballast resistances w ll be connected in parallel The two ballast resistances 20 and 21 which are mounted in the usual manner on bases 22 between clips 23, 24, 25 and 26 respectively are located side by side on the base 27 with the downwardly depending ends 28 of the clips 23 to 26 in slidable engagement with clips 29 and 30 and clips 31 and 32 respectively mounted on said base 27. Said clips 29 to 32 are of any suitable well known form, in the example illustrated, comprising pieces of resilient metal 33 bent into substantially U-formation and extending upwardly from a base portion 34 with the open end of the U-shaped portion extending downwardly. lVith clips of this form,-ballast resistances supported on bases 22 and 23 can readily he slid into position with the end clips thereon in electrical contact with the clips 29 and 30 or 31 and 32. The base portions 34;, of the clips 29 and 31and the base portions 34 of the clips 30 and 32 are respectively formed from a single piece of sheet metal with the clips 29 and 31 or clips 30 and 32 located substantially at opposite ends thereof and spaced apart suitable distances. Each of the portions 35 and 36 of the two base portions 34, intermediate their ends is of such a shape that parts 37 and 38thereof corresponding in shape to the portions 2 and 1 of the clip illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, can be bent upwardly to form a clip of the kind illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. These portions are provided withv holes 39, 40 and 41 corresponding with the holes 3, 6, 7 of the clip illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. through which the end of a wire may be passed and by which such. wire may be held in electrical contact with the clip..

It will be readily seen therefore that by my invention two ballast resistances can be readily connected singly or in parallel in any circuit as desired.

One specific form of the clip according to this invention have been particularly described in the accompanying specification and the application of such clip to a special purpose has been disclosed but it will be appreciated that further modifications and applications of the present invention could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

V hat I claim is 1. A contact clip for making electrical connection with a wire comprising a base portion. an end portion bent at an acute angle to the base portion such end portion having the outer end thereof bent at an angle to the remaining portion of the end portion. a second end portion bent at an angle to the base. portion and extending upwardly into the angle formed between the outer end of the first mentioned end portion and the remaining portion thereof, said second mentioned end portion having a hole therein adjacent the end thereof, said first mentioned end portion having two holes therein one being in the bent outer end thereof .and the other being in the other portion thereof adjacent the bend between such portion and the outer end of such end portion, said first mentioned end portion being resiliently connected to the base portion whereby such portion will tend to move outwardly with the holes therein out of alignment with the hole in said other end portion whereby a wire introduced through the holes will be gripped between the upper edge of the hole in the second mentioned end portion and the lower edges of the holes in-the first mentioned end portion. 7

2. A contact clip for making electrical connection with a wire comprising a member of resilient material comprising a base por tion and two end portions, one end portion being bent upwardly from the base portion and lying substantially wholly within a plane at an angle to the base portion, the other end portion being bent upwardly from the base portion with the rear portion of said end portion lying substantially wholly within a plane at an angle to said first mentioned plane, the outer end of saidsecond mentioned end portion being bent over the outer end of the first mentioned end portion with said outer end of the first mentioned end portion lying within the angle between the outer end of the second mentioned end portion and the rear portion thereof, the first mentioned end portion having a hole adjacent the outer end thereof and said sec- 1 0nd portion having two holestherein one adjacent the outer end thereof and the other in the rear portionthereof adjacent the angle between such portion and the outer end portion thereof, and means integral with;

the base portion for permanently connecting a wire to said clip.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

SAMUEL RUTTENBERG. WILLIAM G. MIERENDORFF. 

